A good railing starts long before the first post goes in. How it is measured, welded and anchored decides whether it stays solid for decades or starts to wobble after a few winters. At Capitol Iron Works, we design, fabricate and install custom interior and exterior railings from our shop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, for homes and businesses across Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Here is how modern installation techniques make the difference.
Measuring for stairs that aren't standard
Very few staircases in the DC area are perfectly standard. Rowhome front steps settle, older homes have stairs that were rebuilt more than once, and newer homes often have curved or open designs. That is why we measure every staircase on site and build the railing to follow it, rather than forcing a stock railing to fit. Designs that benefit most from a custom stair railing installation include:
Curved stairs: a continuous handrail is bent to follow the curve, so there are no awkward joints under your hand.
L-shaped and switchback stairs: the railing has to handle landings and sharp changes in direction without gaps.
Spiral stairs: tight rails are formed and fitted so every section lines up with the treads.
Floating stairs: the railing has to give real support while keeping the open look. See our custom staircases.
Brick and stone front steps: common on DC rowhomes and older homes in Montgomery County, these need posts set into masonry that may not be level.
Shop fabrication and welding
We cut, bend and weld railing sections in our Gaithersburg shop whenever possible. Building in the shop gives cleaner welds and a better finish than working on a sidewalk or in a finished living room, and it keeps the time at your home short. Two welding methods do most of the work:
MIG welding is fast and strong on heavier steel posts, rails and frames.
TIG welding gives precise, clean joints for visible connections, thin material, stainless steel and aluminum.
Joints are ground and finished so the railing looks like one piece once it is installed.
Anchoring to wood, concrete and masonry
The anchoring method depends on what the railing is mounted to:
Wood stairs and decks: posts are usually top-mounted with a base plate bolted into solid framing, not just the surface boards.
Balconies and landings: side-mounting the posts to the edge saves walking space and keeps a clean line.
Concrete, brick and stone: we core-drill holes with diamond bits and set the posts in anchoring grout. A properly set post keeps water out of the hole, which matters here because water that gets in can freeze and crack the masonry around the post over our winters.
Choosing the right material
Where the railing goes, how much weather it sees and the style of the house all shape the choice of material:
Iron and steel: very strong and the classic choice for front steps, ornamental scrollwork and traditional homes. Outdoors, it needs a good protective finish.
Aluminum: light and naturally corrosion-resistant, a good fit for decks, balconies and spots that get road salt in winter.
Cable: stainless steel cable systems keep views open and suit modern and industrial designs. See our cable railings.
Glass: glass panels held by posts or standoff disks give a minimal look and an open feel. See our glass railings.
For a deeper comparison, read Exploring Stair Railing Materials.
Recent work in the area
On a 16th Street NW home in Washington DC, the brick front steps had nothing to hold on to. We built solid black iron handrails in our shop, shaped them to follow the steps, matched them to the home's existing ornamental porch railing and anchored them into the brick. In Bethesda, we fitted a long handrail along a stone walkway and steps so it follows the grade the whole way. You can see more projects in our gallery.
Built to code, checked after install
We build railings to the building codes used in DC, Maryland and Virginia, including handrail height, baluster spacing and load requirements. After installation, we check alignment and make sure every post and connection is secure. Every new fabrication and installation comes with our one-year warranty.
Planning a new railing? Contact Capitol Iron Works and send us a few photos of your stairs. We'll take it from there.
